Editing Martin County, Texas

{{Short description|County in Texas, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
| county            = Martin County
| state             = Texas
| seal              =
| founded           = 1884
| seat wl           = Stanton
| largest city wl   = Midland
| named for         = Wylie Martin<ref name="gannett_1905_placenames" />
| area_total_sq_mi  = 916
| area_land_sq_mi   = 915
| area_water_sq_mi  = 0.7
| area percentage   = 0.08
| census yr         = 2020
| pop               = 5237
| density_sq_mi     = auto
| ex image          = Martin county tx courthouse 2014.jpg
| ex image size     = 250
| ex image cap      = The Martin County Courthouse in Stanton
| web               =
| time zone         = Central
| district          = 19th
}}

'''Martin County''' is a [[County (United States)|county]] in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Texas]]. As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], its population was 5,237.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Martin County, Texas|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=0500000US48317|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]|accessdate=February 23, 2021}}</ref> Its [[county seat]] is [[Stanton, Texas|Stanton]].<ref name="GR6" /> The county was created in 1876 and organized in 1884.<ref name="newberry_2008_texascountyhistory" /> It is named for [[Wylie Martin]], an early settler.<ref name="gannett_1905_placenames" />

Martin County is included in the [[Midland–Odessa combined statistical area]].

==Geography==
According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has an area of {{convert|916|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|915|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|0.7|sqmi}} (0.08%) is water.<ref name="GR1" /> The northern portion of the [[Spraberry Trend]], the second-largest oil field in the United States by 2013 estimated crude oil production, underlies much of the county.<ref name="useia_201503_top100" />

===Major highways===
* {{jct|state=TX|I|20}}
* {{jct|state=TX|BL|20|(Former US 80)dab1=Stanton}}
* {{jct|state=TX|US|87}}
* {{jct|state=TX|TX|115}}
* {{jct|state=TX|TX|137}}
* {{jct|state=TX|TX|176}}
* {{jct|state=TX|TX|349}}

===Adjacent counties===
* [[Dawson County, Texas|Dawson County]] (north)
* [[Howard County, Texas|Howard County]] (east)
* [[Glasscock County, Texas|Glasscock County]] (southeast)
* [[Midland County, Texas|Midland County]] (south)
* [[Andrews County, Texas|Andrews County]] (west)
* [[Gaines County, Texas|Gaines County]] (northwest)

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1880= 12
|1890= 264
|1900= 332
|1910= 1549
|1920= 1146
|1930= 5785
|1940= 5556
|1950= 5541
|1960= 5068
|1970= 4774
|1980= 4684
|1990= 4956
|2000= 4746
|2010= 4799
|2020= 5237
|estyear=
|estimate=
|estref=
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/decade.html|title=Decennial Census by Decade|publisher=[[US Census Bureau]]|access-date=}}</ref> 1850-2010<ref name="ta_texascountypophistory"/><br> 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2/> 2020<ref name=2020CensusP2/>
}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+'''Martin County, Texas – Racial and ethnic composition'''<br><small>{{nobold|''Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.''}}</small>
!Race / Ethnicity <small>(''NH = Non-Hispanic'')</small>
!Pop 2000<ref name=2000CensusP004>{{Cite web|title=P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Martin County, Texas|url=https://data.census.gov/table?g=0500000US48317&tid=DECENNIALSF12000.P004|website=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date= }}</ref>
!Pop 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Martin County, Texas|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=0500000US48317&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
!{{partial|Pop 2020}}<ref name=2020CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Martin County, Texas|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=0500000US48317&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
!% 2000
!% 2010
!{{partial|% 2020}}
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|White]] alone (NH)
|2,696
|2,578
|style='background: #ffffe6; |2,780
|56.81%
|53.72%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |53.08%
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans|Black or African American]] alone (NH)
|74
|67
|style='background: #ffffe6; |81
|1.56%
|1.40%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |1.55%
|-
|[[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] or [[Alaska Native]] alone (NH)
|8
|15
|style='background: #ffffe6; |22
|0.17%
|0.31%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.42%
|-
|[[Asian Americans|Asian]] alone (NH)
|8
|11
|style='background: #ffffe6; |9
|0.17%
|0.23%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.17%
|-
|[[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]] alone (NH)
|0
|3
|style='background: #ffffe6; |1
|0.00%
|0.06%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.02%
|-
|[[Race and ethnicity in the United States census|Other race]] alone (NH)
|0
|7
|style='background: #ffffe6; |19
|0.00%
|0.15%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.36%
|-
|[[Multiracial Americans|Mixed race or Multiracial]] (NH)
|35
|32
|style='background: #ffffe6; |70
|0.74%
|0.67%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |1.34%
|-
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] (any race)
|1,925
|2,086
|style='background: #ffffe6; |2,255
|40.56%
|43.47%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |43.06%
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''4,746'''
|'''4,799'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''5,237'''
|'''100.00%'''
|'''100.00%'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''100.00%'''
|}

As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR8" /> of 2000, there were 4,746 people, 1,624 households, and 1,256 families residing in the county. The [[population density]] was {{convert|5|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people&nbsp;|people|}}. There were 1,894 housing units at an average density of {{convert|2|/mi2|/km2|adj=pre|units&nbsp;}}. The racial makeup of the county was 79.01% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 1.58% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 0.82% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], 0.17% [[Race (United States Census)|Asian]], 16.06% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 2.36% from two or more races. 40.56% of the population were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race.

There were 1,624 households, out of which 42.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.30% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 9.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.60% were non-families. 21.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.87 and the average family size was 3.36.

In the county, 33.90% of the population was under the age of 18, 6.70% was from 18 to 24, 26.40% from 25 to 44, 19.70% from 45 to 64, and 13.30% was 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 95.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.70 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $31,836, and the median income for a family was $35,965. Males had a median income of $29,360 versus $19,063 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the county was $15,647. About 14.90% of families and 18.70% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 23.90% of those under age 18 and 17.10% of those age 65 or over.

==Media==
The county is served by a weekly newspaper, local station KKJW (FM), nearby stations KBXJ (FM) and KPET (AM), and the various Midland and Odessa radio and TV stations.

==Communities==
[[File:Martin County Hospital Stanton Texas.jpg|thumb|right|Martin County Hospital, a 20-bed facility, serves the community.]]

===Cities===
* [[Ackerly, Texas|Ackerly]] (partly in [[Dawson County, Texas|Dawson County]])
* [[Midland, Texas|Midland]] (mostly in [[Midland County, Texas|Midland County]])
* [[Stanton, Texas|Stanton]] (county seat)

===Unincorporated communities===
* [[Lenorah, Texas|Lenorah]]
* [[Tarzan, Texas|Tarzan]]

==Government and politics==

=== Government ===
Martin County, like all counties in Texas, is governed by a [[Commissioners Court|commissioners' court]]. This court consists of the [[county judge]] (the chairperson of the court), who is elected county-wide, and four commissioners who are elected by the voters in each of four precincts.

The Commissioners' Court is the policy-making body for the county; in addition, the county judge is the senior executive and administrative position in the county. The Commissioners' Court sets the county tax rate, adopts the budget, appoints boards and commissions, approves grants and personnel actions, and oversees the administration of county government. Martin County is one of only a few Texas counties where the county and district clerks have been combined into one position.

Martin County is represented in the United States Congress as part of [[Texas's 19th congressional district]], represented by Republican [[Jodey Arrington]] of [[Lubbock, Texas|Lubbock]]. Its two senators are [[Ted Cruz]] and [[John Cornyn]], both Republicans. At the state level, Limestone County is represented in the Texas State Legislature as part of [[Texas's 82nd House of Representatives district]], represented by Republican [[Tom Craddick]] of [[Midland, Texas|Midland]], and [[Texas Senate, District 31]], represented by Republican [[Kevin Sparks]] of Midland.

==== County Commissioners ====
{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="2" |Office<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=November 5, 2024 |title=Martin County Texas General Election 2024 |url=https://www.martincountytx.com/DocumentCenter/View/1443/November-5-2024-General-Election-Uncertified-Final-Vote-Total |website=Martin County, TX}}</ref>
!Name
!Party
|-
| bgcolor="red" |&nbsp;
|County Judge
|Bryan Cox
|Republican
|-
| bgcolor="red" |&nbsp;
|Commissioner, Precinct 1
|Kenny Stewart
|Republican
|-
| bgcolor="red" |&nbsp;
|Commissioner, Precinct 2
|Auggie Ramos
|Republican
|-
| bgcolor="red" |&nbsp;
|Commissioner, Precinct 3
|Brian Snellgrove
|Republican
|-
| bgcolor="red" |&nbsp;
|Commissioner, Precinct 4
|Koy Blocker
|Republican
|}

==== County Officials ====
{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="2" |Office<ref name=":0" />
!Name
!Party
|-
| bgcolor="red" |&nbsp;
|District/County Attorney
|James Napper
|Republican
|-
| bgcolor="red" |&nbsp;
|County/District Clerk
|Linda Gonzalez
|Republican
|-
| bgcolor="red" |&nbsp;
|Sheriff
|Randy Cozart
|Republican
|-
| bgcolor="red" |&nbsp;
|Tax Assessor-Collector
|Lori Pardue
|Republican
|-
| bgcolor="red" |&nbsp;
|Treasurer
|Cynthia O'Donnell
|Republican
|}

=== Politics ===
Martin County, like most other Southern counties, was once deeply Democratic. It continuously gave over 70% of the vote to the Democratic candidate, and only voted twice for Republicans (both during national landslides) between statehood and 1980, after which it swung sharply to the right. Since then, it has followed the rest of West Texas in becoming one of the most loyally Republican areas in the state and has only swung further towards Republicans in the 21st century due to the rapidly liberalizing social policies of the Democratic Party as well as concerns over Democratic climate policy, which is considered unattractive by West Texans due to their predominantly fossil-fuel production based economy.<ref>Cohn, Nate (April 24, 2014). [https://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/24/upshot/southern-whites-loyalty-to-gop-nearing-that-of-blacks-to-democrats.html 'Demographic Shift: Southern Whites' Loyalty to G.O.P. Nearing That of Blacks to Democrats']. ''[[The New York Times]]''.</ref> In 2024, Republican Donald Trump received 87.6% of the vote, the best a Republican has ever received in the county.

Until November 2018, Martin County was one of six<ref name="tabc_201809_listcounties" /> entirely [[dry county|dry]] counties in Texas. During that month, Martin County changed from a dry county to a partially wet<ref name="tabc_20181106_countymap" /> county after Stanton residents voted to approve the sale of beer and wine within city limits.<ref name="mcm_20181109_stantonwet" /> Five dry counties remain.<ref name="tabc_201811_listcounties" /><ref name="kera_20181214_fivedry" />{{PresHead|place=Martin County, Texas|source=<ref name="leip_uselectionatlas" />}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|1,825|247|11|Texas}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|1,857|288|15|Texas}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|1,455|266|41|Texas}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|1,368|248|8|Texas}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|1,389|314|12|Texas}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|1,514|288|5|Texas}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|1,520|415|14|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1996|Republican|973|643|157|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1992|Republican|986|641|361|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|1,017|632|2|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|1,218|512|10|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|1,093|605|18|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1976|Democratic|698|907|13|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|935|287|21|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1968|American Independent|343|373|539|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|402|892|3|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1960|Democratic|350|831|22|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1956|Democratic|318|903|6|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1952|Democratic|562|952|2|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1948|Democratic|77|945|55|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1944|Democratic|131|758|97|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|136|1,044|1|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|70|775|9|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|44|694|6|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1928|Republican|330|213|0|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1924|Democratic|92|327|7|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1920|Democratic|33|136|6|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|14|125|22|Texas}}
{{PresFoot|1912|Democratic|9|50|3|Texas}}

==See also==
{{Portal|Texas}}
* [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Martin County, Texas]]
* [[List of Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks (Hunt-Martin)#Martin County|Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks in Martin County]]

==References==
{{reflist|refs=

<ref name="GR6">{{cite web | url = http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx | access-date = June 7, 2011 | title = Find a County|publisher=National Association of Counties}}</ref>

<ref name="newberry_2008_texascountyhistory">{{cite web | url = http://publications.newberry.org/ahcbp/documents/TX_Individual_County_Chronologies.htm | title = Texas: Individual County Chronologies | work = Texas Atlas of Historical County Boundaries | publisher = [[Newberry Library|The Newberry Library]] | date = 2008 | access-date = May 25, 2015 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180925180746/https://publications.newberry.org/ahcbp/documents/TX_Individual_County_Chronologies.htm | archive-date = September 25, 2018 | url-status = live}}</ref>

<ref name="gannett_1905_placenames">{{cite book | last = Gannett | first = Henry | title = The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States | url = https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ | year = 1905 | publisher = U.S. Government Printing Office | page = [https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ/page/n200 201]}}</ref>
<ref name="tabc_201811_listcounties">{{cite web | url = https://www.tabc.state.tx.us/local_option_elections/wet_and_dry_counties.asp | title = Wet and Dry Counties | access-date = December 20, 2018 | website = Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission}}</ref>

<ref name="tabc_201809_listcounties">{{cite web | url = https://www.tabc.state.tx.us/local_option_elections/wet_and_dry_counties.asp | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180903212749/https://www.tabc.state.tx.us/local_option_elections/wet_and_dry_counties.asp | archive-date = September 3, 2018 | url-status = dead | title = Wet and Dry Counties | website = Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission}}</ref>

<ref name="GR1">{{cite web | url = http://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/counties_list_48.txt | publisher = United States Census Bureau | access-date = May 4, 2015 | date = August 22, 2012 | title = 2010 Census Gazetteer Files | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150722213321/http://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/counties_list_48.txt | archive-date = July 22, 2015 | url-status = live}}</ref>

<ref name="useia_201503_top100">{{cite web | url = https://www.eia.gov/naturalgas/crudeoilreserves/top100/pdf/top100.pdf | title = Top 100 U.S. Oil and Gas Fields | publisher = U.S. Energy Information Administration | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150411233509/https://www.eia.gov/naturalgas/crudeoilreserves/top100/pdf/top100.pdf | archive-date = April 11, 2015}}</ref>

<ref name="ta_texascountypophistory">{{cite web | url = http://texasalmanac.com/sites/default/files/images/topics/ctypophistweb2010.pdf | title = Texas Almanac: Population History of Counties from 1850–2010 | publisher = Texas Almanac | access-date = May 4, 2015 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150419032220/https://texasalmanac.com/sites/default/files/images/topics/ctypophistweb2010.pdf | archive-date = April 19, 2015 | url-status = live}}</ref>

<ref name="GR8">{{cite web | url = https://www.census.gov | publisher = [[United States Census Bureau]] | access-date = May 14, 2011 | title = U.S. Census website}}</ref>

<ref name="leip_uselectionatlas">{{Cite web | url = https://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/statesub.php?year=2016&fips=48317&f=1&off=0&elect=0 | url-access = subscription | title = Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections | last = Leip | first = David | website = uselectionatlas.org | access-date = December 20, 2018}}</ref>

<ref name="mcm_20181109_stantonwet">{{cite news | author = <!-- First name "Edgar", no last name.--> | title = It's WET | url = https://www.martincountymessenger.com/articles/2018/11/09/it%E2%80%99s-wet | work = Martin County Messenger | date = November 9, 2018 | access-date = December 20, 2018 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20181220014254/https://www.martincountymessenger.com/articles/2018/11/09/it%E2%80%99s-wet | archive-date = December 20, 2018 | url-status = live}}</ref>

<ref name="kera_20181214_fivedry">{{cite news | last = Marks | first = Michael | title = Texas Has Just Five Dry Counties Left. Why Is That? | url = https://www.keranews.org/post/texas-has-just-five-dry-counties-left-why | work = keranews.org | date = December 17, 2018 | access-date = December 20, 2018 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20181217183904/https://www.keranews.org/post/texas-has-just-five-dry-counties-left-why | archive-date = December 17, 2018 | url-status = live}}</ref>

<ref name="tabc_20181106_countymap">{{cite web | title = Wet/Dry Status of Texas Counties | date = November 6, 2018 | url = https://www.tabc.state.tx.us/images/wetdry.gif | access-date = December 20, 2018 | publisher = Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20181211163557/https://www.tabc.state.tx.us/images/wetdry.gif | archive-date = December 11, 2018 | url-status = live}}</ref>

}}

==External links==
* [http://www.co.martin.tx.us/ Martin County Government’s Website]
* {{Handbook of Texas|id=hcm03|name=Martin County}}

{{Geographic Location
|Centre    = Martin County, Texas
|North     = [[Dawson County, Texas|Dawson County]]
|Northeast =
|East      = [[Howard County, Texas|Howard County]]
|Southeast = [[Glasscock County, Texas|Glasscock County]]
|South     = [[Midland County, Texas|Midland County]]
|Southwest =
|West      = [[Andrews County, Texas|Andrews County]]
|Northwest = [[Gaines County, Texas|Gaines County]]
}}
{{Martin County, Texas}}
{{Texas counties}}
{{Texas}}
{{authority control}}
{{coord|32.30|-101.96|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-TX_source:UScensus1990}}

[[Category:Martin County, Texas| ]]
[[Category:1876 establishments in Texas]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1876]]